Today I am going to tell you about a wood carving class I did in Ubud, Bali. First of all what I am making is going to be a Balinese Dream Mask, which is a mask of a face that morphs into something related to nature and it has magical qualities.
The class started at 3pm so we walked around for a bit before and went to see the rice fields. At three we went to the carving place and started to work. Our teacher name was Wayan, which means ‘first born’. Most people in Bali have the same first name. They get one of four names depending on if they are first, second, third or fourth born!
We chopped a piece of Hibiscus wood in half and then Wayan said to take the bark off. So we used an axe to chop off all the bark on the wood. We used Hibiscus wood (or what the Balinese call Waru wood) because it is soft and it has many beautiful colours such as red, brown and beige.
After taking the bark off we used the axe to make the simple shape of a face. Then we used the chisel to make the nose, the eye socket, the forehead, lips and then to make a curved design on the top half of the head. We would use our feet to hold our mask in place so it would not move around while we were working on it.
We stopped to have some tea and coffee for a bit then we went back at it. We only had three hours so we did not finish the masks, but we are going to ship them home so we can finish them in Grandpas’ workshop.
I had a great time making my mask. That was my experience of making a dream mask in Ubud, Bali!
(a Klog is a blog by Kai. Kai + blog = Klog!)
My dear Kai
What a good class to take,i think working in grandpa,s woodshop made you loke like a pro. Hug from mamor
Hi Mamor
It was a greet class to take and I think that working in grandpas work shop has help allot.
Love you
Kai
WOW Kai, very cool mask in the making…cant wait to see the finished product!!! What is it going to morph into?
Hi Auntie Beth
The finished product should look like a face that morphs into stems and leafs.
Love you
Kai
Kai
Wow!!! What a great time you had making that mask.
Can’t wait to see how it turns out in the shop here.
Love Grandma
Hi Grandma I had a great time working on it and I look forward to finishing it in the shop with Granpdpa.
Love you
Kai
That’s pretty cool Kai , what a great experience and fun thing to do . Look forward to seeing it finished .
Hi Michele
It was an asome experience and it was very fun, can’t way’t to have it finished.
Kai
Kai, you are going to be a great woodcarver just like your Grandpa.
Very Impressive.
Hi Carole
I hope that I could be just as good as home one day.
Kai